Decoration or Preparation?

Preparation is key

A good decorating job consists of 90% preparation and 10% decoration, get these percentages around the wrong way, and you’ll know about it.

Taking the time to prepare before you decorate will pay dividends by giving you a far superior finish.

Things such as removing old wallpaper, washing things down, dusting off all take time but need to be done and done right.

For ceiling and walls

Remove any old wallpaper first. Stick back any loose paper if you just want to paint over it.
Make sure any loose plaster is rectified; fill holes and cracks.
Remove any old rawl plugs and fill the holes.
Ensure filler is sanded down properly and not left high, as it will show.

Woodwork

Make sure you rub down woodwork before painting it.
Use a suitable primer on any bare wood, then undercoat it and then topcoat it.
If you topcoat straight over topcoat and not give the surface a key first the topcoat applied will easily chip or scratch off.

General

Let new plaster completely dry out before decorating.
Deal with any damp problems at source rather than just cover it up.
Remove any mould that may of grown and treat the affected area.

Remember, preparation is key. Do it well and it will show in the finished job, do it badly and you will see it forever!

Get a professional in if you are unsure what to do or simply don’t want to take the time to “prep for you dec”.

What are fascias, soffits and bargeboards

Fascias and soffits boards are the part of the house that you most likely don’t look at very often, if at all. Just to explain, the fascia and soffit is the area of your property that the gutter is attached to. The underside is known as a soffit and the part with the gutter attached to it, is the fascia.
Bargeboards are fixed to the gable end of the roof to protect the roof rafters. They are just as important as the fascias and soffits and need to be painted regularly.

What should I paint them with?

If your fascias and soffits are wood and not Upvc then at some point you will need to have them painted, you can paint them in a woodstain, such as Sadolin, or Gloss such as Dulux Weathershield or an exterior satin, again by Dulux. It really depends on your preference.
Continue reading Painting fascia and soffits and bargeboards

Lining paper thickness

If you are planning on decorating a room and the walls aren’t that good your best option would be to line the walls with lining paper first.

So what thickness should you use?

Lining paper comes in different thickness known as ‘grades’.
The grades range from 800 to 2000 and vary quite a lot in thickness between the lowest to the highest grade.

Some ‘DIY’ stores only stock the lower grades of lining paper, maybe up to 1200 if you’re lucky, but normally only up to 1000 grade. You can buy the thicker grade papers form ‘trade’ outlets, local suppliers or online.
Continue reading Lining paper – What thickness should I use?